ONGC Discovers Natural Gas in Deepwater Mahanadi Basin Through Samudra Manthan Campaign

Key facts

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) struck natural gas in the deep waters of the Mahanadi Offshore Basin off the Odisha coast under its flagship 'Samudra Manthan' initiative, at exploration well MN-DW18-1-H-D on September 18, 2026.
• The well was drilled to a final target depth of 1,623 metres and encountered the hydrocarbon-bearing zone between the 1,441-metre and 1,452-metre intervals.
• Spudded on 25 July 2026 by Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, the well is the first exploration drill in the Mahanadi Basin under the Samudra Manthan campaign.
• The well has been flowing gas continuously with encouraging flow rates and steady reservoir pressure over the last three days.
• The discovery is a candidate for fast-track development through shared infrastructure enabled by the Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) Rules, 2025.
• ONGC has announced it is investing ₹1 lakh crore in deepwater exploration over the next five years.